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Caline

by Kate Chopin

The sun was just far enough in the west to send inviting shadows. In the center of a small field, and in the shade of a haystack which was there, a girl lay sleeping. She had slept long and soundly, when something awoke her as suddenly as if it had been a blow. She opened her eyes and stared a moment up in the cloudless sky. She yawned and stretched her long brown legs and arms, lazily. Then she arose, never minding the bits of straw that clung to her black hair, to her red bodice, and the blue cotonade skirt that did not reach her ankles.

The log cabin in which she dwelt with her parents was just outside the enclosure in which she had been sleeping. Beyond was a small clearing that did duty as a cotton field. All else was dense wood, except the long stretch that curved round the brow of the hill, and in which glittered the steel rails of the Texas and Pacific road.

When Caline emerged from the shadow she saw a long train of passenger coaches standing in view, where they must have stopped abruptly. It was that sudden stopping which had awakened her; for such a thing had not happened before within her recollection, and she looked stupid, at first, with astonishment. There seemed to be something wrong with the engine; and some of the passengers who dismounted went forward to investigate the trouble. Others came strolling along in the direction of the cabin, where Caline stood under an old gnarled mulberry tree, staring. Her father had halted his mule at the end of the cotton row, and stood staring also, leaning upon his plow.

There were ladies in the party. They walked awkwardly in their high-heeled boots over the rough, uneven ground. They tried to talk to Caline, but could not understand the French patois with which she answered them.

One of the men—a pleasant-faced youngster—drew a sketch book from his pocket and began to make a picture of the girl. She stayed motionless, her hands behind her, and her wide eyes fixed earnestly upon him. Before he had finished there was a summons from the train; and all went scampering hurriedly away. The engine screeched, it sent a few lazy puffs into the still air, and in another moment or two had vanished, bearing its human cargo with it.

Caline could not feel the same after that. She looked with new and strange interest upon the trains of cars that passed so swiftly back and forth across her vision, each day; and wondered whence these people came, and whither they were going.

One day she walked miles down the track to talk with the old flagman, who stayed down there by the big water tank. Yes, he knew. Those people came from the great cities in the north, and were going to the city in the south. He knew all about the city; it was a grand place. He had lived there once. His sister lived there now; and she would be glad enough to have so fine a girl as Caline to help her cook and scrub, and tend the babies. And he thought Caline might earn as much as five dollars a month, in the city.

So she went; in a new cotonade, and her Sunday shoes; with a sacredly guarded scrawl that the flagman sent to his sister.

The woman lived in a tiny, stuccoed house, with green blinds, and three wooden steps leading down to the banquette. Over the house tops loomed the tall masts of ships, and the hum of the French market could be heard on a still morning. Caline was at first bewildered. She had to readjust all her preconceptions to fit the reality of it. The flagman's sister was a kind and gentle task-mistress. At the end of a week or two she wanted to know how the girl liked it all. Caline liked it very well, for it was pleasant, on Sunday afternoons, to stroll with the children under the great, solemn sugar sheds; or to sit upon the compressed cotton bales, watching the stately steamers, the graceful boats, and noisy little tugs that plied the waters of the Mississippi.

When the woman asked her again after another week if she were still pleased, she was not so sure. And again when she questioned Caline the girl turned away, and went to sit behind the big, yellow cistern, to cry unobserved. For she knew now that it was not the great city and its crowds of people she had so eagerly sought; but the pleasant-faced boy, who had made her picture that day under the mulberry tree.

Answer 1

"Caline" is a poignant story by Kate Chopin that captures the transition of a young girl from a tranquil rural life to the bustling environment of the city. The narrative opens with Caline enjoying a peaceful moment beneath a haystack in a small field, a vivid portrayal of her innocence and connection to nature. The surprise of a sudden train arrival disrupts her serenity, sparking her curiosity about the outside world, specifically the people who travel through her quiet life.

As the train passengers interact with Caline, it becomes clear that there is a cultural divide, highlighted by the language barrier between Caline, who speaks a French patois, and the visitors. This moment introduces themes of curiosity and longing for connection beyond her familiar surroundings. The sketch the young man draws of her symbolizes the beginning of a broader world filled with dreams and aspirations.

The story takes a significant turn when Caline meets the old flagman, who shares tales of the city and piques her interest in leaving her rural home. The flagman's sister offers her a position in the city, presenting an opportunity that feels both exciting and daunting. When Caline arrives in her new environment, she finds herself bewildered yet enchanted by the sights and sounds of the city.

However, as she spends time in the city, Caline's feelings shift. While she appreciates aspects of her new life—strolling by the Mississippi, enjoying the company of children—there remains a lingering sense of discontent. Her longing is not for the urban experience itself but for the connection she felt with the boy who drew her picture; he represents a more intimate, personal longing rather than the allure of the city.

The narrative ultimately captures a universal theme: the search for identity and belonging. Through Caline's journey, Chopin eloquently explores the complexity of aspirations, the bittersweet nature of desire, and the realization that sometimes, what we seek lies within our emotional connections rather than external circumstances.